Our Getaways and Vacations

You see our bylines in this magazine. You know we have great lives like you do. Therefore, we travel like you do. 

Or, do we?

Our staff and contributing writers came together to share our stories of where we’ve been – and where we’re going – this and every summer. We even share our favorite destinations in the world. 

Here’s our picks for our favorite past, present, and future summer getaways. Maybe they’re the same as yours!

BRETT BURGER – NEW YORK CITY

This summer, I’m returning to New York, my favorite vacation. I try to go every few years to see the latest on Broadway, eat as much as I can, and visit some of my best friends. This month I’ll be going to see “Company” with Patti LuPone, “Funny Girl,” and a few others. 

RANDY STERN – WICHITA

Two summers ago, I took a road trip that was quite fulfilling and a long time in the works. I drove down to Omaha and Kansas City, but I did not originally plan to head into Kansas. A friend of mine in Wichita invited me to take the extra three-hour drive to that state’s largest city. I added the extra night and mileage – and I was not disappointed. It is a very nice city to check out – and a good stopping point if you’re driving between Minnesota and Texas. 

LINDA RAINES – THE MALDIVES

My husband and I love to travel, and we’ve been so lucky to have been able to visit some of the most lovely places – France, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Croatia, the Galapagos Islands, Belize, the British and US Virgin Islands. Paris and Venice are two of the most breathtakingly beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. However, if I had to choose the travel destination that took my breath away the most, it’d be the Maldives. We spent a week on a live-aboard dive boat, and then several days at the Baros resort which was a bucket list trip for me—an over-the-water bungalow with a private deck where you could jump right into warm, astonishingly clear waters that were every shade of blue and turquoise you could imagine, rays and sea turtles and reef sharks swimming right near you, sugar-white sand, a spa that was almost out of a celebrity magazine, and a private, chef-made dinner on the resort’s “Piano Deck” out in the water where we could watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean. It was a trip out of a dream, and we’re planning to go back in a year or so. 

BARRY LEAVITT – THE EAST COAST

I love to travel, especially during the summer. Some of my recent trips with friends have been to New York City, Door County and Portland, Oregon. Being a native Bostonian, I also take a trip to visit my East Coast family and friends each summer. For the month of July, I drove east and visited friends and family in the Boston area, Provincetown, New York City, Rochester, NY and Ogunquit, ME. I loved seeing my family and friends, enjoying the ocean, going to a Red Sox game, eating lots of east coast style pizza and LOTS of fresh seafood. 

HOLLY PETERSON – PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

There is no better way to spend the summer than exploring parks – city parks, state parks, national parks – I love them all. At the end of May, I wrapped up a six-week road trip where I traveled through Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. I grew up road-tripping, so I had seen most of these states as a kid, but I’ll be the first to admit that those memories are fuzzy at best. On this trip, revisiting state after forgotten state, I was repeatedly struck by how beautiful our country is. The caves of Kentucky, the swamps of Louisiana, the mountains of Arkansas, the rolling hills of Tennessee, the list goes on. 

So that’s it. That’s the recommendation. Pick a park you’ve never been to and lose yourself (figuratively, please) for a day. You can leave Minnesota for this experience, but you definitely don’t have to. Any choice is a good choice. Go to a city park like Minnehaha Falls or Lebanon Hills or head out of town and try something like Itasca State Park or Voyageurs National Park. Just get outside and remind yourself how beautiful this country can be.